Chennai, Feb 28 (UNI) Banking services across the country were hit as about 10 lakh employees and officers in all public sector banks including SBI, all old generation private banks, foreign banks, Regional Rural Banks and Cooperative banks participated in the one-day nation-wide strike called by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), a umbrella forum represented by five workmen unions and officers' associations ( AIBEA, AIBOC, NCBE, AIBOA, BEFI, INBEF, INBOC, NOBW and NOBO) over their demands. However, two of Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh affiliates--the National Organisation of Bank Workers and the National Organisation of Bank Officers did not take part in the strike. Top private lenders -- ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Kotak Mahindra and Axis Bank -- are not part of the UFBU and functioned normally. AIBEA General Secretary Ch Venkatachalam told UNI that clearance of 40 lakh cheques totalling around Rs 22,000 crore is affected due to the strike. He said the conciliation meeting held in New Delhi on February 21 between the representatives of Indian Banks' Association (IBA), UFBU with Chief Labour Commissioner Anil Kumar Nayak had yielded no result. The UFBU is opposing Anti-people Banking / Labour Reforms, Government move of infringing trade union rights and Outsourcing of permanent jobs. The Unions are demanding legitimate compensation of employees and officers for extra hours of work performed on demonetization work; Removal of Gratuity ceiling under Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972; Exemption of Income Tax on Gratuity and Leave Encashment on retirement. Immediate appointment of Workmen/Officer Employees Directors in all Banks/FIs, Early initiation of process of next wage revision of bank employees, Pension related issues – Improvements in pension scheme on the lines of RBI/Central Government including for past retirees – Extension of erstwhile Pension Scheme in banks in lieu of NPS – Follow up of Records Note of May 25, 2015. The other demands were Implementation of Compassionate appointment scheme on the lines of Central Government as approved by the Government, Adequate recruitment in all cadres, Reimbursement of cost of demonetization to Banks by Government, Immediate introduction of 5-Day Banking, stringent measures to recover bad loans and accountability of top Executives and Criminal Action on willful defaulters. The AIBEA General Secretary also said IBA has written to United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) stating that it will call the union for a meeting only if today's strike was withdrawn. Mr Venkatachalam said UFBU offered to meet IBA before the strike call to sort out the issues and avert the strike but IBA remained adamant and added it has become clear that the IBA wanted to precipitate and not interested to resolve the issues or avoid the strike as advised by the CLC. The CLC advised the IBA and Union Ministry of Finance to initiate the dialogue with the UFBU for amicable settlement of issues, so that the proposed strike is averted, he said. The top Union leader said in view of the negative approach of the IBA and Finance Ministry, UFBU will meet shortly after the strike to decide further course of action. UNI CS ADB 1154 / 1205